COLLECTION: YSL Perfumes

Perfumes aren't something that I know much about. I tend to just stick with my Britney fragrances and be done with it. But since working at Boots, they're something that I find myself falling in love with. I think scent can define a person and it can bring a lot of memories back to you.

A few weeks ago at Boots we had a little incentive. I won't go too much into it but I ended up beating the incentive and for that reason, I got to choose a perfume tester. I chose the YSL Elle Eau de Parfum - £79.50 as YSL fragrances are ones that I think are beautiful. I've mentioned before that I can't describes smells very well but I'd say this one is on the musky side. But not a powerful musky scent. A nice one that can be worn in the day as well as the night. The bottle does look different to the original because it is a tester version but the smell is the exact same. I also love the YSL Parisienne Eau de Parfum - £40.00 and you can see my original post on this fragrance here.

What's your favourite fragrance? Do you like the YSL ones?

xxx

REVIEW: Let's Go False Lashes in Flirt 1, 2 & 3

I've had these lashes for quite a while now but unfortunately, I received them when university was ending so I never got the chance to use them. But flash forward a few months and I had freshers week and it was the perfect week to put these to the challenge. When it comes to false lashes, I'm certainly no pro. But I do love wearing them as they add something extra to a whole make up look.

The lashes come in four collections: Flirt, Heartbreaker, Tease and Temptress. Which means that there is a lash for every look - natural or dramatically seductive. I was sent three pairs of lashes; Flirt 1, Flirt 2 and Flirt 3. These lashes are very natural. They don't add a lot of volume but they add lots of length and wing the eye out to give you that 'doe-eyed' look. 

L-R Flirt 1*, Flirt 2* and Flirt 3*

My favourite is definitely Flirt 1. It adds the most amount of volume and it nicely wings the lashes out. I'd go for Flirt 1 if you want volume, Flirt 2 if you want your lashes to be more winged out and Flirt 3 if you want a bit of everything. I've fallen in love with these lashes. The band is very tiny, so tiny that it's barely noticeable - even without eye liner. I also love how lightweight these lashes are. You can't feel them on your eyelids which  is something that's hard to find when it comes to false lashes.

You can view the full range of lashes here and find out more information here. 

The lashes retail for £8.95 regardless of which ones you want.

Have you tried these before?

xxx
*PR Sample

Orthodontic Braces Survival Kit!

I've had my brace on for a week now and I've come up with a pretty good kit to help keep my teeth and brace healthy and clean and my mouth pain-free!

The basics that you need are of course, toothpaste and mouthwash. I'd recommend sticking to the same brand throughout your entire 'brace journey' just to be on the safe side. I'd also highly recommend getting a children's toothbrush. The one I have is the Boots Smile Kids Toothbrush and it was around £1. I'd say get a children's toothbrush because it's easier to reach the smaller areas and also, it's easier to fit the brush in your mouth without over stretching your gums. As well as this, definitely get a travel toothbrush. Mine's just a standard one from Boots. It's important that you do this in case you go out for meals or end up staying over at a friend's house. You never know when you'll need one! The orthodontics recommend that you get some Interdental brushes. Mine are the Boots Expert TePe Interdental Brushes and these are great for cleaning in between the brace to make sure food doesn't get stuck there. You may have to change these every now and then depending on the spacing between the brace. Orthodontics also recommend getting some wax. Mine's just from my own orthodontics and it cost me just £1. You only need a tiny amount and all you do is pop it on top of the brace and it'll stop the brace from rubbing against your gums. It's literally a life saver. Another life saver is Bonjela. You will without a doubt get a lot of mouth ulcers from where the brace rubs - especially when you're sleeping. Bonjela is an instant pain relief and it helps to calm and heal the ulcer. Another thing you'll need is some form of pain relief like paracetamol and ibuprofen. I have the Nurofen Meltlets tablets just because I can't take tablets and they help a lot. Finally, I'd recommend getting a lip balm as your lips become more dry when you get braces. Also, make sure none of the products that you use are whitening as you'll end up with half of your teeth white and the other half not as white due to the brace blocking the whitening products from working!

The picture above is of me wearing my brace. The brace I have is the InVu Brace and as you can see, it's barely noticeable. I won't go into too much detail about it but basically they blend in with the natural colour of your teeth. They're also a lot smaller and more lightweight than your standard brace so it makes them more comfortable. I only have a brace on my top teeth as there's nothing majorly wrong with my bottom teeth. 

Have you had braces before?

xxx

Freshers Photos

Although my blog focuses heavily on beauty, I personally love finding out more about the people behind the blog. So I thought I'd post a few of my personal photos from Freshers Week. I hope you like them and if you end up doing a post like this, make sure you link me too it! I'd love to see :)

If you're wondering where the outfits that I got are from then you can find out here. The leopard print dress isn't featured in that post though but it's from Primark and it cost me just £10.

This was my second freshers week and it was amazing. It was great not having to worry about making friends or worrying about where was the best place to go etc. I'm sad that I only have one more left though. Especially because my first year went so quickly. If you've had/have your freshers week then I hope you have/had a wonderful time :)

xxx

REVIEW: Britney Spears Fantasy Twist Eau de Parfum

Earlier this year it was announced that Britney would be releasing a 'new' perfume. But this wasn't just any old perfume. It was her two best selling fragrances, in one! I was very excited about this idea due to me being a huge Britney fan. So when it came out last week, I went down to my local Boots to pick it up.

The bottle holds both Fantasy and Midnight Fantasy in a spherical ball. The bottle is undoubtedly beautiful and I think it fits the 'Fantasy' theme very well. All you do is pull the ball apart and you will reveal the two fragrances. Both of these fragrances are very sweet and I'm sure the majority of you would've smelled them before. They're great fragrances for those who love sweet smells and I think they're wonderful for any age range - even my mum is a big Fantasy fan! Due to her fragrances, Britney holds the record for the best selling celebrity fragrances of all time. The lasting power of these fragrances is incredible and the scents are nice and strong (but not overpowering). It's probably because Elizabeth Arden makes the perfumes and they're eau de parfums.

So now my collection is complete. Kinda. I just need the limited edition fragrances that were released a while ago. I'm hoping that Britney/her team decide to release more of these Twist perfumes as they're a great idea if you're going travelling. I'd love a Radiance/Cosmic Radiance Twist. Or a Hidden Fantasy/Circus Fantasy Twist. Or maybe even a Curious/Believe Twist. Who knows?!
You can buy Fantasy Twist here. Prices start from £24. You can view the rest of the Britney Spears fragrance range here. Will you be picking this up? What do you think of the Britney fragrance range?
xxx

OOTD: Don't You Leave Me Brokenhearted Tonight & Update

Another outfit of the day for you all! I think I need to get a better tripod because mine keeps collapsing for some strange reason. So maybe that's something I'll spend my student loan on. Do you have any recommendations? Not expensive ones. Ideally not more than £10! I'll also have to ask my sister if I can steal her camera because hers is better when it comes to taking outfit shots.

Cardigan - Warehouse

Dress - Primark

Leggings - Primark

Necklace - Tally & Hoe*

I'm still awkward when it comes to taking outfit pictures, as you can probably tell. It just seems weird standing infront of a camera and posing! I love this dress. I've said it before but the fit is so nice. The camera didn't really pick it up but it fits on the top half and then flares at the bottom. It creates a beautiful silhouette and generally just makes me feel confident. As you'll probably be able to tell from my OOTD's my outfits are all pretty much exactly the same. Leggings, a dress, cardigan/blazer, necklace. I'm not the most fashionable person in the world but I do like wearing what suits me and what's comfortable for me. Oh and I love bird prints too! I also curled my hair with my GHDs.

I'm sorry for the lack of updates recently but I'm currently in Freshers Week which is completely hectic and this is the first time that I've been able to sit at my laptop with enough time to write a blog post. This outfit is pretty old but I didn't just want to write an update post on its own so I thought the outfit would go well with it. Next week is my first week of university lessons so I'm not too sure if I'll have a lot of time then either. But give it a couple of weeks and I'm sure I'll be back into the swing of things in no time!

xxx

*PR Sample

Why Do You Wear Make Up?

I've seen this making the rounds on both YouTube and Blogs and I've been loving reading people's stories about how they got into make up. So I thought I'd give it a go.

The first thing I did was text my mum saying, 'did you ever catch me in your make up when I was little?' And she replied, 'yeah you were always in my make up.' I also remember coming down the stairs one day covered in my mum's foundation and lipstick. So I guess I was always a little bit interested in make up. But from what I can remember, I first got into make up because of my bad skin. If you're an avid reader of my blog then you'll know that my skin is one thing that I've never been happy with. I never particularly had acne but I did get spots quite badly as a teenager. And I wanted to do everything I could to cover them up. Me and my mum used to spend hours in Boots and Debenhams asking the assistants what I could do for my skin and what would help it. And I remember my first high-end make up product being Clinique's Perfectly Real Foundation at the age of about 14/15 maybe. I loved applying it every day and I took so much care with it. I then started researching products online and I got into the website BeautyJudge (which is what encouraged me to start blogging). Then at around the age of 15/16 I picked up what is now one of my favourite foundations ever, Estee Lauder's Double Wear. So my make up obsession started off with foundation pretty much. Also, as I used to dance, me and one of my best friends used to love Barry M's Dazzle Dusts as we used them in competitions. And whenever we had sleepovers we'd always apply them to each others eyes. Looking back, we probably looked a mess! But it was fun. But I didn't really get into make up fully until I started blogging. It's brought along a lot of opportunities and my knowledge has grown and it's continuing to grow. I look back at pictures from even last year and think, 'wow, I didn't know how to apply make up!' And I realise how much I've improved just by watching YouTube videos. So I definitely have my bad skin and blogging to thank for my make up obsession. Which is also the reason why my bank balance is low most of the time...

Let me know in the comments why you wear make up or if you'd done this tag, link me and I'll check it out!

xxx

The Evelyn Lauder Dream Collection in support of the Estee Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Estee Lauder are supporting the 2012 Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. This campaign is one that pays tribute to Evelyn Lauder's life and legacy. The Evelyn Lauder Dream Collection is at the heart of the campaign and beautifully, it was named in her memory by her husband, Leonard Lauder. Her dream was to eradicate breast cancer. Not only this but the campaign also pays tribute to those who are currently fighting breast cancer and the courage that they're showing. Each element of the collection was designed by Evelyn herself to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the campaign. This year, the Pink Ribbon design features a touch of blue. This represents the approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases in the US that are diagnosed in men.

 I was lucky enough to be sent the Evelyn Lauder and Elizabeth Hurley Dream Lip Collection (£25  with £5.00 from every sale donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation)* which comes with a full-sized Pure Color Lipstick in Candy (a shade chosen by Evelyn Lauder) and a Pure Color Gloss in Pink Innocence (chosen by Elizabeth Hurley). The lipstick alone is £19.50 so if you're looking to invest in an Estee Lauder lipstick and you like this colour then I'd highly recommend this set. The lipgloss is beautiful and compliments the lipstick lovely and the bag is very nice too. I can see myself using this as either my make up bag or a bag to take on nights out with me to spice up my outfit.

Top - Pure Color Lipstick in Candy, Bottom - Pure Color Gloss in Pink Innocence

These two colours are so beautiful. Candy is a deep pink colour and the formula is like satin. It glides onto the lips and it lasts a good few hours as it is a long lasting formula. The Estee Lauder lipsticks are so luxurious and I'm now proud to say that I own one. The lip gloss is beautiful too. It smell and tastes amazing whilst also providing moisture to the lips. The colour pay off is pretty amazing and the sheen is gorgeous.

L-R Candy, Pink Innocent
I was also sent the Perfectionist CP+R with Pink Ribbon Keychain (£68 with £10.00 from every sale donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation)* which I was so happy about as I've always been a big fan of the Estee Lauder serums. The serum is aimed at wrinkled skin which although I don't have that, I do have some signs of ageing due to my blemishes. You can find out more about this serum here. The keychain is a beautiful heart with the Pink Ribbon design on it and it's now housed on my keys. I've used this serum a every day since receiving it (which hasn't been long) but it instantly makes your skin look better and more 'alive.' It also smooths out any pores and imperfections and creates a beautiful base for make up. I will definitely be doing a full review of this once I've used it for long enough.

The Evelyn Lauder Dream Compact (£55 with £55.00 from every sale donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation) is so beautiful! The compact is filled with Lucidity Translucent Pressed Powder and the compact is inscribed with, "Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness 2012." The Evelyn Lauder Dream Pin (£10 with £10.00 from every sale donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation) design sparkles with contrasting soft and hot pink enamels accented with 2 stones - one BCA pink stone and a blue stone to represent the approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases in the United States that are diagnosed in men.

This collection will be available at Estee Lauder counters nationwide and online from October 2012. What do you think about this collection? Will you be picking anything up from it?

xxx

*PR Sample

REVIEW: Belvia Shapewear

I've spoken about the Belvia Bra before and even now, I still find myself reaching for it daily as it's so comfortable. And new to their range is the Belvia Shapewear. I've been trying this out for a while now and I've tried it out in many different 'conditions' and finally, I'm ready to tell you my thoughts!

 There are three different products available in the Belvia Shapewear range. The Belvia Shapewear Top (£14.99),* the Belvia Shapewear Slimming Briefs (£14.99)* and the Belvia Shapewear Bodysuit (£19.99). The bodysuit targets your waist, hips, stomachs, sides, bottom, back and under your bust. It cuts out around the breast area so you can wear your bra as normal without any bumps at the back. I haven't personally tried this out but I keep looking at it and it's something that I'm definitely thinking about getting. Especially seeing as the other products in the range are so wonderful...

 Belvia Shapewear Slimming Briefs - £14.99*

These briefs target your waist, stomach, bottom, hips and hides and they hide and a conceal bumps and bulges to ensure that you have beautiful, contoured curves. The thing that I love the most about these briefs is that the fabric doesn't roll down like a lot of shapewear products do. Once these are on, they aren't moving until you take them off. Despite this, the material is very breathable and it doesn't grasp your skin so tightly that it's uncomfortable. In fact, I find these very comfortable and for the most part, I don't even notice that I'm wearing them. They're completely discreet underneath clothing and they don't leave any nasty VPL!

Belvia Shapewear Top - £14.99*

The top targets your waist, stomach, hips, back and sides. Once again, like the briefs, this top stays down and doesn't roll up throughout the day. I've tested this top (and the briefs) during exercise, at work, sitting around the house, running everyday errands and still, they do not move. This is also very comfortable and the fabric is breathable. The straps don't dig into the skin and like the briefs, this top goes unnoticeable underneath clothing. I was worried about this top because originally I thought that it would sort of, 'mask down' my chest area and make it look flat and quite bulgy but it didn't at it. It skimmed over it and it also helped to make my chest look 'more pert' which is always a plus!

If I had to choose between the two, I don't think I'd be able to. Mainly because it depends on what type of clothing you wear. In my recent Freshers Week post I was wearing one of these products in every outfit. And as you can see, I wouldn't be able to wear the shapewear top with this outfit as you'd be able to see it over the top of the playsuit. So it does completely depend on what type of clothing you wear.

The items come in sizes Small (UK 10-12), Medium (UK 14-16) and Large (UK 18-20) and mine are in the size small. Each item comes in either black, white or beige. I've found myself wearing these pretty much every single day since receiving them and now, they're just like extra pieces of clothing. They slim you down and they really do create the perfect silhouette whilst still being comfortable. And I can't wait to wear them in Freshers Week! Have you tried this shapewear out before? Will you be doing so?

xxx

*PR Sample

NEWS: GLAMGLOW CURE SEXY Special Edition Mud Mask

In the last few months, I've completely fallen in love with GLAMGLOW's Tingling and Exfoliating Mud Mask. I've reviewed it before and you can view that post here but to sum up, this product is the most perfect face mask/exfoliator. It brightens the skin in an instant and it leaves your skin looking and feeling like it's had a full on facial. It's quick, easy to use and well, perfect.

GLAMGLOW are supporting the Pink Ribbon Foundation to help raise funds for Breast Cancer. They've released a special edition version of their original mud mask called CURE SEXY.  This is a pink version of the product and it will be available from October to December. A whopping 25% of all profits will be donated to the Pink Ribbon Foundation.
This product is available at Selfridges and online here for £49.99.

Will you be picking up this special edition product? Have you tried GLAMGLOW before?

xxx

FASHION: Freshers Week Outfits

Seeing as it's Freshers Week this week (eeeeek) I thought I'd show you the outfits that I'll (more than likely) be wearing. Some are new, some are oldish. I'm still trying to find a place in my new flat with good lighting so I can take better outfit shots so do bare with me until I've found that. The shot of the outfit on its own is more to show you the colour whereas the shot of me wearing the outfit is more to show you the fit.

Top - Primark, Skirt - New Look

This skirt has become a staple in my wardrobe and although it's more for day time wear, I wanted to find a nice top so I could wear it out. I went into Primark and fell in love with this top. It has a gorgeous Peter Pan collar and the print is really cute. I also love the dainty material and the way it falls.

Blazer - F&F at Tesco, Dress - Missguided

I've been wanting a white blazer for a long time now but I'd never saw one that fit my budget. Until I was walking around Tesco and spotted this one that was on sale for just £10. I quickly bought it and I'm so excited to wear it during Freshers Week. This dress is one that I bought the other week and I've fallen in love with it. It fits so nicely and it's really comfortable and flattering on my figure.

Playsuit - Kelly Brook for New Look

I wore this for my last university night out a few months back and since then, I haven't had the opportunity to wear it. But I do really love it. It fits beautifully and really pulls me in at the waist. It's also very comfortable and easy to wear. The only problem is it does make me feel a little bit insecure around the chest area as sometimes it falls down so I definitely need to invest in some tape!

Blazer - F&F at Tesco, Dress - Primark

I bought this for my holiday a few months ago and I loved the fit of it. It's a fit and flare dress which as you can probably tell, is my favourite. The only thing that I don't like about it is that it's sleeveless and considering I hate my arms, this isn't a good thing. So I've thrown the blazer over the top and I've fallen back in love with it. It's nice and easy to wear and it's very comfortable too.

Dress - Dress Up at Topshop

I blogged about this earlier this year and I still love it. I bought it because I saw Britney wearing it and to be honest, I had no intention of wearing it. But the colour is so beautiful and the style of the dress is stunning. I do feel insecure in this sometimes but I'm starting to go to the gym next week so hopefully by the time Freshers Week arrives I'll be nice and slimmed up for this.

Dress - AX Paris at New Look

I love, love, love the colour of this! Once again, I don't wear it very often due to the fact that my arms are out but I love the colour so much that I'm going to brave wearing it in Freshers Week. I will put a belt around the middle though. Maybe brown, maybe black. I'm not too sure yet. This dress is currently on offer in New Look for just £10.

Blazer - F&F at Tesco, Dress - Primark, Leggings - eBay

This last outfit is one that I'm unsure whether or not I'm going to wear. I love the leggings but they're so uncomfortable to wear as when you go out it's really hot and these just seem to conduct heat and leave your legs all sweaty. And the dress is way too short to wear without them. So I'm not sure if I want to wear it yet.

Which outfit is your favourite?

xxx

TAG: How Much Is My Face Worth? (Everyday Make Up)

I've done one of these before but I've seen them making the rounds in the blogosphere more recently and considering my everyday make up routine has changed a lot, I thought I'd show you it. Also, I'm pretty curious to find out how much my face is worth as it's definitely interesting.

Avene Eau Thermale Spring Water Spray* - £6.50
I use this to set my make up and also to refresh it throughout the day.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24Hr Foundation - £27.00
I've rediscovered this and I use it as my foundation as it lasts all day and looks flawless.
Superfacialist By Una Brennan Tea Flower Anti-Shine Pore Minimiser* - £12.99
I use this as my primer as it helps eliminate shine and minimise pores.

Collection 2000 Coloured Mascara Clear - £2.99
I use this on my eyebrows to keep them in place all day.

No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara - £12.50
This is obviously my mascara and I love it as you can build up the volume.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - £5.99
This is the concealer that I use underneath my eyes as it makes them look more awake.

Keromask Camouflage Cream* - £14.99
I use this as concealer on my face because it covers everything - even my scarring.

MAC Lipstick in Please Me - £14.00
This lipstick is beautiful and very easy to wear in the daytime. It's a matte pink.

Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer* - £19.50
I use this to contour my nose and cheekbones and also to add a nice glow to the skin.

HD Brow Palette* - £19.96
My brows are very sparse so I use this to fill them in.

17 Miracle Matte Pressed Powder - £3.99
I use this to powder my skin. I love it because it holds the make up in place and keeps it shine free.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24HR by Eyestudio in Eternal Gold - £4.99
I sweep this all across the lids and underneath the eyes. It's so beautiful and makes the eyes pop.

MAC Sheertone Blush in Pink Swoon - £17.50
Because this is a matte blush it's great for daytime wear and makes me look more glowing.

Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner in Black - £2.99
I use this as my eyeliner on my upper lash line as it's so easy to use and perfect for winging eyeliner out.

No7 Metallic Eyes Pencil in Black - £7.75
I use this on my waterline and tightline as it's very pigmented and lasts all day.
= £173.64 which when you divide by 30 days equals to around £5.80 a day. That isn't too bad. Especially because a lot of the products do last a lot longer than 30 days. I've used the HD Brow palette pretty much everyday since I received it a year ago and I still haven't hit pan on it. If you've done one of these, feel free to link it below as I love seeing them! And if not, make sure you do one :)
xxx
*PR Sample

£50 BooHoo Fashion Voucher Blogger Challenge Entry

I've seen these posts making the rounds and I absolutely love BooHoo so I thought I'd give the challenge a go. The wonderful Fashion Vouchers is hosting the competition and in all honesty, before the competition I had no idea it existed but now I find myself checking it daily to see what offers are on there.

I chose the Samantha Leopard Print Collar Shift Dress because it's beautiful basically. It can be dressed up or dressed down and it's the perfect fit for me. I also love the collar which just gives it that edge and makes it stand out. I then decided to glam the dress up with the Alice Lace Fan Drop Earrings. I would probably wear my hair up whilst wearing this dress but I never wear my hair up without earrings and these ones are beautiful and add a dainty look to the outfit. I then finished with the Zaria Peeptoe Slingback Metallic Cigarette Heels as they are very versatile and can go with any outfit.

You can find out more about the challenge and enter here. 

xxx

OOTD: It's Always a Good Time

I recently took a trip into town to get my eyebrows done and I thought I'd show you the outfit that I wore. I'm sorry about the background but I'm still trying to find a nice place to take pictures in. The lighting in this is pretty good as I'm stood right infront of my window but ideally, I'd love to take my pictures on a white background. But I don't think that's going to happen, unfortunately. 

Cardigan - Warehouse

Dress - New Look

Leggings - Primark

Necklace - Tally & Hoe*

Belt - New Look

I went for a really casual look because I was only nipping into town. I love this dress especially when I'm feeling insecure because it hides everything and when a belt is added, cinches you in at the waist to enhance your figure. I wore leggings, of course. They're pretty much all I wear. I then paired the dress with my favourite cardigan from Warehouse. It was expensive but it's so soft and it's lasted me nearly 2 years so it was definitely worth the money. I then added the scissor and comb necklace from Tally & Hoe to the outfit as I love the long length chain and I think it completed the outfit.
Would you like to see more outfit of the days?
xxx

2 WEEK CHALLENGE: Fushi Organic Argan Oil Result

Three weeks ago I wrote a post about me doing a two week challenge. Unfortunately, I've been really caught up at work and I didn't have chance to write down my thoughts about the product as planned. But now I'm finally back at university and I'm ready to tell you how I got on with the product. You read my original post here with is an introduction to the challenge and basically tells you all about it and the many different ways that you can use it.

I've been using the oil to sleek down the ends of my hair and although I don't have particularly frizzy hair, I've been loving this. It adds so much shine to the hair and my hair just feels healthier because of it. I am prone to split ends as I don't tend to get my hair cut as often as I should so I do have to look after my hair a lot better than most. But this has really been helping to seal any split ends shut and it leaves them looking healthier than before. My mum on the other hand does have frizzy hair quite badly and we've been looking for something to tame them for a really long time. So I gave her this to see how she'd get on with it and she's fallen in love with it. She uses it after washing her hair and then again after styling and it's completely tamed her split ends. On my skin I was pretty worried about using it because I do have combination skin. But I started off with a small amount (which is all you need). I massaged this into the skin and it sunk in quicker than I thought it would. It wasn't hard to work into the skin and afterwards I was left with soft and smooth skin that glowed. I've been using this as my night moisturiser because I loved the way my skin looked in a morning. Definitely glowing and supple.

I really love this product and I believe it's something that everybody should own as it's so versatile and can be used for many different things. I did end up giving this to my mother because of how well it worked on frizzy hair so I'm without it for a while. Well, until I get my student loan as I'll be purchasing some more!

You can find out more about this product and buy it here for £11.90 for 100ml.

xxx

*PR Sample

HOW TO: Take Advantage of your Boots Advantage Card

I look back to this time last year and I think to myself, 'how did I live by just handing over my Boots card and collecting the basic 4 points per pound?' Sometimes, I didn't even hand my card over. I'd put the points on the receipt and forget about them. But now, I think I look after my Boots card more than my debit card - probably because most of the time it has more money on it. I noticed during #bbloggers last week (or maybe the week before?) that many of you did what I used to do and you were interested in finding out how to make the most of what is classed as the best loyalty card in UK shops.

What is a Boots Advantage Card?

Since working at Boots I've noticed that not everyone who spends a lot of money in the shop actually has a Boots card. Even if you don't go in all the time you could still earn quite a bit of money just by spending £25 - if you have vouchers you could even get yourself a free shampoo with the card. A lot of people who shop at Boots still believe that it is a 'store card' which is like a credit card. It is not. It doesn't take anything away from you, it simply gives back. The card returns 4 points per pound spent and every point is worth 1p. If you're pregnant or a parent you can also join the Parenting Club where you receive 10 points for every £1 spent on baby products within the baby area at Boots, regular glossy magazines, access 24/7 to information online including a parenting community and you also receive a free changing bag when you join. If you're over 60 you can join the more treats for over 60's scheme whereby you receive 10 points for every £1 you spend on Boots branded products (and No7), 25% off complete glasses at Boots Opticians when you spend £79 or more, regular health and beauty news, 15% off all hearing aids at Boots and you can also attend exclusive store events.

Boots Advantage Card Vouchers

If you sign up for a Boots card you will receive vouchers through the post with offers, money off vouchers and points vouchers. Use as many of these as you can and never forget them. I've noticed that customers put them where their Boots card is kept in their purse so they never forget them. Some of the points vouchers are very useful and if you use them, you'll soon see a rise in your points. The tills will sometimes print off vouchers with your receipts and although cashiers are supposed to tell you about these, some don't. So always, always check your receipts before you throw them away. The till vouchers read your Boots card and prints off a voucher that suits your need and what you regularly buy.

Boots Health & Beauty Magazine

A lot of people overlook the magazines. Sometimes they'll pick one up (£1 or free to Advantage Card holders) but they'll never check the back for the vouchers. The vouchers are normally there to promote new products that have come into the store so it's definitely worth a look if you're after something new. I've seen many different vouchers in there including money off of crisps and skin care and of course, points vouchers!

Extra Offers Kiosk

SO many people ignore these but these are the best for building your points up or receiving money off of products. Once again, these vouchers are personal to you and the machine will offer you offers on products that you usually buy. Sometimes there is a voucher for an entirely free product on there with no purchase necessary  Even if you don't use the vouchers there and then, print them off! You can save them and use them in the future (well, up until the expiry date). You can also check your points balance and update your information at this kiosk.

Treat Street

Boots Treat Street is something that is relatively new. Although I haven't used it that much because I don't tend to shop online, it is extremely useful if you do. Treat Street is basically a way for you to earn points by using other stores. There are a varity of clothing shops, music shops, insurance companies, travel companies etc that offer points on their products if you buy them online. Most of them offer 1 point to the pound (which is less than the Boots 4 points) but still, they add up quickly. If you're going to make a purchase online then Treat Street is definitely worth checking as you may be able to earn some money back. Also, if you sign up to Boots Treat Street today and purchase something, you will receive £2.50 worth of points. The good thing is, you only have to spend £1 so technically, you're earning money back!

One thing to remember is that you can use more than one voucher at a time. If you have a 'spend £20 and receive 200 points' voucher and a 'double points' voucher then use them both! But be careful with double points voucher. If you do the above then make sure you've spent a considerate amount over £20 because you will only receive the double points over the value of £20. For example if you've spent £20.84 and you use your double points voucher aswell you will not receive any points at all because you haven't spent £1. But if you spend £34.50 you will receive £14.50's worth of double points. Get it?

I hope this has been helpful. I'm always preaching the joys of a Boots Advantage card to my friends and family and I believe that everyone deserves to know how to use them to their full potential. If you have any more tips and tricks then leave them below in a comment or tweet me and let me know!

xxx

REVIEW: JooMo 100% Truly Natural Face Wash

So many products these days claim to be natural but if you actually take a close look at their ingredients, you'll find that they're in actual fact not as natural as you'd like to believe. Lots of packaging is misleading and the use of the word 'natural' is thrown around these days way too much. So many big named brands are using ingredients found in drain cleaner and others that have been linked to breast cancer. However, JooMo Ltd* is a revolutionary new skincare product for young people which is the first ever 100% truly natural face wash.

This product was invented by former chemist, Nick Wallen and marketing expert, Linda Russell after their teenage twin sons struggled to find a safe, effect product to combat their acne. 'JooMo  face wash includes the product SaponinJ which is a proprietary skin repair system. It deals with existing skin problems, repairs the damage caused by synthetic products and rebuilds the skin's natural defences to prevent future allergies, infection and inflammation.' It also consists of a specially balanced formula of Saponins, Essential Oils, Sea Salt, Natural Sugars, Natural pH Modifiers, natural Antioxidants, natural Softeners and emollients. If you're like me and not very scientific based then that will pretty much mean nothing to you and you're probably just wondering what the product is like itself. Well I can tell you this, it's lovely. It doesn't strip the skin or dry it out like most acne/spot treatments do. It removes make up very well and it's even safe to use around the eye area. The scent of honey and orange is very strong but I find that if I use this in the morning it wakes me up nicely and leaves me feeling refreshed. This doesn't foam up like most face washes but I like how it feels. It feels like you're massaging silk into the skin when you're rubbing it around your face which I love! Since using this my skin isn't as red as it usually is around my scarring area and I've not suffered with any breakouts. 

You can find out more information about this product here and purchase either the boy or the girl bottle here for just £4.75. Have you tried this before? Will you be purchasing it?

xxx

*PR Sample

FASHION: Tally & Hoe Jewellery

I'd like to introduce you guys to my new jewellery obsession. Tally & Hoe is a relatively new brand that provides unique and irresistible jewellery that doesn't break the bank. Although it's quite new, the brand has just placed an order with ASOS' men's accessories department (although Anna does consider her pieces as being unisex) and these will be delivered and up on their site in November.

 Jewellery isn't something that I blog about often as it doesn't tend to excite me. But as soon as I visited this website I knew Tally & Hoe was a brand that'd be featured on my blog soon. The pieces are beautiful. They're made exceptionally well and to a high standard and the packaging in which they are sent are beautiful (as you can see). I was sent the Scissors and Comb Necklace - £18.00 and the Cross Keys Necklace - £12.00. I'm very exciting to showcase these pieces during Freshers Week and I can guarantee that you'll be seeing these in outfits of the days very soon. My favourite piece is definitely the Cross Keys Necklace. It's very dainty and easy to wear and it really makes an outfit.

The prices start from £6 and you can view the entire brand range here.

xxx

*PR Sample

REVIEW: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Rose and Lavender

I blogged about the new Liz Earle release a few days ago and I was lucky enough to receive one in the post to try out. As I said the other day the 'new' Cleanse & Polish* has been created to raise funds for the Princes Trust which helps young people find jobs and training. And today, the product hits the shelves.

The formula has been updated to include rose and lavender essential oils which helps to calm, relax and soothe both your mind and your skin. This makes it the perfect treat to use at night, which is when I've been using it. I've been using it in place of my original Cleanse & Polish (which I still use in mornings) and I absolutely love it. I was a bit worried at first as I'm not the biggest fan of rose and lavender but the scent isn't overpowering at all. It in fact smells beautiful and it is definitely calming. The thing that I love the most about this product though is the bottle. It's so beautiful and it looks stunning in my new university flat. So stunning that I doubt I'll throw the bottle away once I've finished with it - or maybe I'm just a hoarder...

£2.00 from every product purchased will be donated to the Princes Trust. It's available today and is priced at £19.75 for a 150ml pump online, in store, John Lewis or QVC. Will you be picking one of these up?

xxx

*PR Sample